<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602897809399.png" alt="Meredith Dowty photo Sedgwick County" />
                        <figcaption>Meredith Dowty photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A retired firefighter who was upset with the city’s mask ordinance has been arrested on suspicion of threatening to kidnap and kill Wichita’s mayor.&nbsp;</p><p>Meredith Dowty, 59, Wichita, could face a charge of criminal threat.</p><p>Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple said he had been read text messages received by another city official that asked about the mayor’s address and threatened his life. </p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In response to today&#39;s story concerning a threat I received:<br><br>Violence is never a way to settle disagreements. We&#39;re always stronger together as a City even when times are at their toughest. Tensions maybe high, but we will get through this together as Wichitans. 1/2</p>&mdash; Dr. Brandon Whipple (@BWhippleKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/BWhippleKS/status/1317261830641897472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The mayor says the suspect talked about tyranny in the messages and was upset about the mask mandates and not being able to see his mother because of COVID-19 restrictions on elderly homes.</p><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of alleged criminal threat made toward the mayor of Wichita.</p><p>On Friday, police&nbsp;were alerted to threatening statements directed toward city of Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.</p><p>Officers immediately began investigating the threatening statements and arrested&nbsp;59-year-old Meredith Dowty of Wichita on a requested charge of criminal threat.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In response to today&#39;s story concerning a threat I received:<br><br>Violence is never a way to settle disagreements. We&#39;re always stronger together as a City even when times are at their toughest. Tensions maybe high, but we will get through this together as Wichitans. 1/2</p>&mdash; Dr. Brandon Whipple (@BWhippleKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/BWhippleKS/status/1317261830641897472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. Wheeler released no additional details late Friday.</p>

Police: Man threatens Wichita mayor over mask mandate